More about hard water
Informative article which will find more facts about hard water.
Water that falls to earth as rain or snow is inherently soft water. When falling to the ground or soft water remains on the surface (such as rivers or canals) or penetrate into the ground. Very often absorbs water in the places where the ground is the presence of magnesium and calcium ions. Thus, the soft water takes these ions and becomes hard. Water hardness is determined by the amount of dissolved therein calcium and magnesium bicarbonates, calcium sulfate (gypsum), magnesium sulfate and other salts. Upon heating of the water soluble calcium and magnesium salts become insoluble and are superimposed on the point of heat - if the water is in a metal container, the deposition accumulates on the walls and bottom of the container, if the heater as in electric heaters is superimposed on it. This is called "scale".
The use of hard water in industrial and household and industrial use leads to serious adverse effects:
1. 1. Unproductive consumption of detergents when washing. The explanation is that the ions of calcium and magnesium, are reacted with the soap forming fatty acid salts form insoluble precipitates in the water. It is estimated that for every liter of water with hardness 7.1 mg-eq / L consumes an additional 2.4 g soap. When washed with hard water it is impossible to achieve fading of the clothes. On the nickel-plated sinks and faucets is deposited layer which can not be washed away.
2. Premature wear on fabrics when washing with hard water. The fibers of fabrics absorb calcium and magnesium crystals, and this makes them brittle.
3. In hard water meat and legumes cook bad at this decreased nutritional properties of products. Quark meat proteins pass into insoluble state and poorly absorbed by the body.
4. increases the corrosion of the heating elements of household appliances and the heat exchangers as a result of hydrolysis (reaction with water) of magnesium salts and raising the pH of the water.
5. The salts of calcium and magnesium solid deposits (scale (scale), sludge, water stone) on the surface of the heat exchangers and hydraulic household devices, which reduces fuel efficiency of their work. The metal in the insoluble residue CaCO3 overheated and softened because Limescale has low thermal conductivity. The presence of scale on the heating elements results in a considerable increase in the cost of energy. For example, the average increase in the heating costs caused by the use of hard water exceeds 20%
6. Scientifically proven negative health impact on human health. This applies particularly to skin diseases.
All this leads to the necessity of carrying out repairs, replacement of piping and equipment and of course to the use of considerable resources. Furthermore, it is impaired hygiene in the home because they have problems washing with hard water and also have incurred treatment of skin diseases (most characteristic is the so-called "dandruff").
Traditional method of water softening is the use of ion exchange resins. But unfortunately the regeneration process is accompanied with a side effect: in softened water increases the sodium content. It can reverse osmosis membrane used devices, but they reduce the content of all the salts.
More modern method for softening water is magnetic treatment. Water treatment in a magnetic field is used primarily for anti-scaling. The essence of the method consists in the fact that the water crossing the magnetic field lines of the cations of calcium and magnesium salts are crystallized in the water and not on the surface of the heating. Under the influence of the magnetic field crystals evolve, do not stick to pipes and heaters appliances, but flow naturally with the water flow. The solubility of calcium carbonate is changed, the existing deposits are destabilized and disintegrate. Differentiated structure of crystals could only leave a very fine layer of limestone ranging from 0.1 to 0.5 mm. This layer protects pipes and heaters from larger deposits. Since it is fragile, regularly come off and replaced with a new one without ever formed a large accumulation reaching up to several centimeters. Innovative devices series "Triton" of "Nora research" applied electromagnetic treatment of hard water which can be achieved very good results in softening of the water. Apply magnetic pulses special form and magnitude as the frequencies of repetition are ranging established very carefully after extensive research and trials.